


Cracks in the Ice

by Spacefille



Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M, Ouroboros Mix, Ouroboros Mix 2013, Pale Romance | Moirallegiance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-15
Updated: 2013-03-15
Packaged: 2017-12-05 10:04:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/721819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spacefille/pseuds/Spacefille
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>John takes Karkat ice skating and Karkat isn't too sure how he feels about that.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cracks in the Ice

**Author's Note:**

  * For [CherryMilkshake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherryMilkshake/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Just a Few More Laps](https://archiveofourown.org/works/653530) by [CherryMilkshake](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherryMilkshake/pseuds/CherryMilkshake). 



.

You’re doing it because you like him.

Not that you’d ever tell him because fuck that, but you adore this boy. Ever since you’ve been brought back on this mismatched world full of humans and trolls he’s been your best friend, he’s taken you in and given you a place to stay and constant companionship, whether you like it or not. You do like it, despite the stupid lopsided grin and almost constant annoyance you feel whenever he talks. It’s nice to have a friend again after you lost almost every single one of them on the meteor.

When he tells you he wants to go ice skating with you, because that is apparently what people do during the winter in this part of his human world, you reluctantly agree to go with him. He is happy and chatty the entire drive to the ice rink, telling you all about a human sport called hockey, as well as how his dad-lusus used to take him to the ice rink when he was small, and he’s been skating for years, it’s really a wondrous thing.

You think he’s crazy. What he doesn’t know is you had ice on Alternia - during the dark season the temperature would drop and it would become beyond cold. The lake near your hive would freeze over, the ice deep, thick and black with white translucent cracks that seemed to extend down into eternity. There was something unsettling about it, knowing what was once free water was now trapped, unmoving, and would remain that way until dim season returned. You never wanted to walk on it, you knew the ice was dangerous, you slipped on it enough times yourself, when you had to go out for supplies. Not only that it would become even more dangerous during dim season, when the ice would thin to the point that trolls had fallen through into the water. They’d die if that happened, most lusus’ would be unable to swim down and get them out.

The entire idea that humans even want to get onto this stuff, let alone on thin, potentially lethal blades is enough to set your teeth on edge, but again, you let him take you because you like him.

The ice skates confound you almost as much as the idea of them, and you stare at the stiff lacing and wonder how you’re going to get your foot into that. You struggle one on and try for the other one as the first foot bucks out from under you. John finally laughs and gets in front of you, kneeling as he cinches up your laces. It’s weird to have him take care of you like this, like you’re a wiggler that can’t manage to do up his own shoes. You school a flush and hope he doesn’t notice.

He doesn’t seem to. When he stands he offers you a hand and you reluctantly climb to your feet. When you stand all the way you sway and he has to hold you up, which he does with a chuckle and a twinkle in his vibrant blue human eyes. The errant thought crosses your mind that he’d be a high blood if he were a troll. For some reason that makes your blood pusher skip a beat, which you instantly ignore and scowl to cover up.

You tell him again how much of a bad idea you think this is. He blithely ignores you and lures you onto the ice with witty banter, holding your hand so you don’t fall. It’s kind of… _nice,_ you decide, as you cling to him with sheer terror that you try your best not to show.

You feel pale for him, you can’t help it. What you had with Gamzee was more of a pale relationship you were thrust in because of necessity, he was killing everyone, you had to fix that and you were pretty much the only one in the right position to do so at the time. You never had the opportunity to develop feelings for anyone else really, you contemplated black with Sollux and swung both ways for Terezi, Eridan you wouldn’t approach with a ten foot pole, black, red or pale. But outside of Terezi, who you wanted to be with either red or black, you never developed an actual pale crush.

Until you found John post-game and the human invited you to move in with him. Obviously black was not possible as humans don’t even understand that, and red was out as well due to him being “not a homosexual”. From what you can tell from human TV, some pale activities are considered to be homosexual as well. No, John had made it obvious that those pale actions – holding hands, hugging, laying against each other – are not appropriate for humans to do. Even when hugging Dave you notice he does it quickly and it is accompanied by back pats.

So you know what pale behavior is, and you know what is appropriate or not to do with the human in your life. That is why you are stunned when he continues to guide you around the ice, never once letting go of your hand. You have to remind and reremind yourself over and over again that he has you, he’s said he won’t let you go, he assured you that it would be a pretty jackass move on his part if he does let you go.

Then he decides to speed up.

You know that’s a bad idea before HE even trips and falls. As you go down as well, never once letting go of his hand, you wonder yet again why humans do this. Maybe they force themselves to do these potentially dangerous things because their race is so fucking calm and collected and they don’t have to worry about being killed by another human, and when they get injured  these places called hospitals will take them in and put them back together again. No worries at all, and they wouldn’t ever apply the word “cull” to other humans.

They’re still a bunch of fucking idiots to you in a lot of ways. Ice skating is a prime example.

It takes a few moments before you stop your slow humiliating slide across the ice. You cling to him, even as another human bends down to see that you’re okay and help you to your feet again. You’re fine of course, except that your jacket is now covered with a thin white film of ice, but you’re no worse for wear.

She smiles at you both and tells you to enjoy the rest of your date.

You tense up at her words. Date? Is this a human date? If it is, this isn’t a good sign, not because you’re a troll with a human, neither of your species seems to give a shit about interspecies make-outs, but because of John’s not homosexuality.  You sneak a sidelong glance at him. Why isn’t John protesting her comment? You expect him to remove his hand from yours and maybe mumble out some excuses, but he doesn’t do that at all.

Instead he quips at you like a little asshole. You roll your eyes and retort back and try your best to ignore your dripping nose. He holds your hand a little tighter and draws you near. You blood pusher decides to pound but you keep that scowl on your face.  He merely grins and starts off again, you in tow.

Your blood pusher doesn’t really give up. You’re starting to feel slightly sick, that strange sensation like you’re falling is developing in your chest. He still hasn’t let go of your hand.

You realize, as you skate, trying your best to keep up with him, that there is no place you’d really like to be right now than here.

.


End file.
